Rudd and Hu Chat, Downer Whinges (Updated (lots))

I’ve managed to avoid APEC almost entirely thus far, both here on this blog and in real life. But last night, I was held up while walking along Pitt St. in Sydney, as a motorcade pulled out of the Hilton. It’s only fitting then, that I stop avoiding it on the blog.

Kevin Rudd, the Opposition leader, demonstrated his skills in Mandarin during an official APEC welcome for Chinese President Hu Jintao yesterday, in which he ‘wowed’ a room full of Chinese press as well as the great Hu himself. The whole thing went for about half an hour and had to be interpreted on-line¹ for the local crowd (a small taste of Rudd’s Mandarin can be seen in this report, at about 4:30) [See the updates below].

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This section of perpetual updates is getting a bit out of hand, so I might detach it using my conventional section-breaking tildes.

[Sep 8: David has just alerted me to the fact that the link to Rudd’s Mandarin doesn’t work. Unfortunately I can’t find a working one, except for a transcript of the report here (actually, it has the video too, over on the right, just noticed), which only transcribes Rudd’s Mandarin as “KEVIN RUDD, OPPOSITION LEADER: (greetings in Mandarin)”, which isn’t very helpful. Apparently the ABC doesn’t have good Mandarin transcribers, which is why we need SBS, Paul Sheehan. For video, you may have to navigate to the 7:30 Report’s front page and select the video called ‘The Politics of APEC”. Again, it’s about 4:30 through.]

[Sep 9: Both SBS and The Australian have reports specifically on Rudd’s meeting with Hu Jintao whereas the ABC report uses it as a segue. The Australian report also contains a translation of what Rudd had to say; mostly mundane stuff really.]

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Anyway, we all know that Rudd speaks excellent Mandarin, and today some Chinese people found that out for the first time. Big deal. This post is about Downer’s reaction.

Asked if he was impressed by Mr Rudd’s language skills, Mr Downer, a French speaker, said he was not one to flaunt his talent with foreign tongues.

“I know dozens and dozens of people who speak a lot of languages, they don’t just speak Mandarin, but other languages as well.”

In other words: “Woopty-doo! Kevin can speak Mandarin, he’s such a show-off. Who cares anyway? I can speak French but I don’t show off whenever Sarcozy’s in town.”

Grow up, Alex.

Apart from that little whinge, Downer elaborated on his own linguistic prowess and genius, as opposed to the relative sloth with which Rudd evidently acquires languages:

I did the French language course and Mr Rudd did the Chinese language course. I did mine in two months and he did his in two years, that could say something [about] him and me or something about the two languages. I think the former but that sounds a tad partisan.

Downer “did” his in two months while Rudd “did” his in two years? I don’t think that says anything about you and him or the two languages, Mr Downer, but I do think it speaks volumes about your attitude towards multilingualism.

Hu Jintao doesn’t speak English as far as I know (perhaps Laurie could fill me in here), but alas, he is a native Mandarin speaker. Rudd also speaks Mandarin. The logical thing to do then, rather than having to go through an interpreter, which can be decidedly awkward in my experience, would be for Rudd and Hu to conduct their parlance in a language that they have in common.

Sure, Rudd may have been ‘flaunting’ it a tad, but why on Earth wouldn’t he? Why should multilingualism be something one has to hide? Why does Downer of all people seem to think so? He’s the Foreign Minister.

To be honest, I think Downer is a little sour that Rudd was getting so much attention over his talks with Hu, which is almost (but not really) taking some of the limelight away from Australia’s Woodside Petroleum’s $35 billion natural gas deal with China.

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¹On-line as in ‘live’ or ‘directly’, by an interpreter pumping out the English as quick as Rudd pumps out the Mandarin. I don’t mean it was ‘Babelfished’ or anything, unlike they appear to do at the Australian Federal Police, as Jane implies.

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6 Responses to “Rudd and Hu Chat, Downer Whinges (Updated (lots))”

“Kevvy is a real little show-off smarty pants. Really, how sad and pathetic does someone have to be to hog the attention like that, just because he can speak another language? So what! It’s not as though I brag about my French. Imagine, if I went around demonstrating that I can speak French. It just doesn’t happen. Who cares that I can speak French fluently? And it only took me two months! I’ve even used it in my offical capacity as Foreign Minister, but I don’t go around telling everyone about it. That would be too much. Look at Kevvy – so self-important and such a show-off. I wouldn’t stoop to mentioned how I can speak French fluently and learnt in it in only 2 months…..no, never, that would be sooo crass…..Kevvie took 2 years you know (nudge, nudge, wink ,wink)!! The audacity to play it up to the cameras like that….you’d think he could speak French….I can, and I don’t go around boring people about how I learnt to speak it fluently in just 2 months. Let’s face it, hundreds of millions of Chinese people speak Mandarin so it can’t be too hard really, can it? Besedes, no one can understand a word of it, so what’s the point. French on the other hand, that’s really tough to learn. I don’t know if you knew this, not many do, but I can speak French, fluently! I can give a demo if you like…maybe a poetry recital tonight at my hotel. I mean ,we’re all sick of Kevvie’s self-promotional Mandarin. I can read Proust in the original for you… I speak French you know….real proper French……Did you know that?? I don’t like to talk about it, but if you’re interested…..” – Dolly

[…] been a lot of whining in the government over the last week. First we had Downer having a hissy fit because Rudd chose to greet Hu Jintao in his native language, then we had Howard crying because no […]

‘Downer “did” his in two months while Rudd “did” his in two years? I don’t think that says anything about you and him or the two languages, Mr Downer, but I do think it speaks volumes about your attitude towards multilingualism.’

Good point! However, I also think it DOES in fact say something about the two languages. Chinese is a much more difficult language to learn than French, in part because of the character and tonal systems.

[…] <update> News of Rudd’s win has already filtered into the podean linguabloggosphere, with Language Log’s Bill Poser pointing out that at long last, we have a non-monolingual Prime Minister, as Rudd speaks Mandarin quite fluently. Of course I wrote about this back here. […]

Tedious verb tables, repetitive text-book exercises with Xavier et Nicole, embarrassing mistakes in front of your mates on a day-trip to Boulogne…the average Brit does not have fond memories of learning a language at school, and picking one up many years later can seem hugely daunting. You’re never going to be fluent, so what’s the point…and anyway, everyone speaks English now, right?

Not necessarily. Not everyone does speak English and, even if they did, there’s no underestimating the power of a few foreign words when you set foot on foreign soil. You don’t have to beat yourself up that you’re not fluent – even the basics can go a long way in winning a smile from the waiter, endearing yourself to the locals and distancing yourself from that stereotypical image of linguistically-challenged Brit abroad.

So what exactly do you need to know to take you from ignorant to cute foreigner? To be honest, the basic niceties of “hello”, “please”, “thank you” and “goodbye” make a great start. Chances are, however, that if this is all you know of a language then you may be rumbled and rewarded with a reply in perfect English. But you will have made your point: you may not be fluent in the language, but you’re willing to give it a go, and that counts for a lot. And you may actually be secretly relieved that your foreign target chooses to practise his or her English at this point as, erm, it’s not like you really expected them to reel off a lengthy reply. You were just being nice. And that is exactly how it will seem.

Others of you, though, may have more time and desire to learn the language. For you, investing just a little more effort will reap huge rewards. Take things further by adding simple phrases and questions like ordering food, booking a room and asking directions, and your whole experience of being abroad will be transformed. You’ll be interacting with the locals, understanding things you otherwise may not, and feel a certain spring in your step as you realise you just made sense in another language. Speaking even just some of the language will open doors and hearts and, quite simply, just make you feel great.

As for how you pick up the basics, there are many choices, probably more than you think. If you’re really motivated but don’t like learning in a classroom environment, then why not try a book or CD…if you want to get a good grip of the language before going on holiday then how about an evening language course…and if you really just need to be surrounded by the language for anything to sink in, then a language course abroad is the way to go. And that’s without even mentioning online, telephone and or tailor-made tuition. The important thing is that you choose the right method, or combination of methods, for you, as this way you’ll see the greatest benefit.

So there we go – no matter how much (or little) you learn of a language, it’s definitely worth it. You don’t need to set your sights too high – but be warned, you may just catch the bug and find yourself learning more than you meant to…